“You were meeting with my half-sister, weren’t you?”
I open my mouth to deny it but shut it again.
So Katarindoesknow about my meeting. The meeting her husband set up. But why would she tell Adrienne about that? My understanding is Adrienne and Reina don’t know each other, and even if they did, I wouldn’t get Adrienne involved with a woman that’s as deeply tied into Le Milieu as Reina. This may be Greece, but the French mafia is dangerous, and there’s a reason why I was tapped to handle them.
I speak very slowly. “Yes, I was meeting with Reina, but it doesn’t mean anything.”
“How can it not mean something? I’m here in Greece with you, and you’re meeting with my half-sister.”
“Do you know her? Have you ever spoken to her?”
She shakes her head. “My mother had her before I was born and she’s always lived in France as far as I know.”
“Then it doesn’t involve you at all.”
She runs her finger around the rim of the glass. “Katarin said you’d ask me for a favor soon. Was she right?”
“In Katarin’s world, if there’s a tool handy, you have an obligation to use it.”
“Is that your way of saying no?”
“No. You’re not involved in this.”
“What isthisexactly? What does my half-sister have to do with you and your family?”
I take a deep breath and slowly blow it out. The smell of cigarette smoke drifts up from nearby which means someone’s smoking below. I consider bringing her inside, but I have nothing to hide. If that’s one of Balaska’s men down there eavesdropping, let him report this conversation back to his master.
“Reina works for some people the Balaskas wish to work with as well. I’m attempting to make contact between her organization and the Balaskas.”
“You’re the go-between?”
“A neutral third party attempting to negotiate a reasonable contract.”
“You make it sound like it’s a business deal and not something obscenely shady and illegal.”
“Shady and illegal things can be business too.”
She puts my wine down. I take it back and drink, and I swear I can taste her lips on the glass, like sweet summer rain pooled in a cold mountain spring. I stare into her eyes and wonder if she’s noticed the way I look at her. Adrienne is a burden I don’t want and a distraction I can’t afford, but that doesn’t mean I have control over what drives me.
And shedrivesme to extremes. Hate and need. Want and disgust. I’ve done my best to keep her at a distance if only to make sure I don’t do something stupid, but this apartment is smaller than the house in Crete and it’s harder to ignore her here.
Especially now that she’s talking to me and drinking from my glass.
“I want to meet her.”
I shake my head immediately. “Absolutely not.”
“She’s my sister.”
“Half-sister. And still, the answer is no.”
“You don’t get to make that decision for me. It doesn’t have to be about this business arrangement you’re negotiating. I just want to meet her.”
“My father sent me here to babysit you and that’s what I plan on doing.”
“I don’t need you to babysit me anymore then. Consider your job over.”
“Have you looked at yourself recently, Adrienne? You still need me.”